Competitive specialties

[DocToBeIn2011]

Any advice/suggestions from M3-4's or residents on what to do in order to have a better shot at the more competitive specialties (most surgeries, dermo, radiology, etc...)? Thanks in advance!

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[Law2Doc]

Any advice/suggestions from M3-4's or residents on what to do in order to have a better shot at the more competitive specialties (most surgeries, dermo, radiology, etc...)? Thanks in advance!

Pick up the Iserson book. Get good grades. Score well on Step 1. Get rave reviews during your clinical years. Do some research.

 

[baylormed]

My physician mentioned once that in certain very competitive specialties (specifically he talked about Ophthalmology), it's also about who you know, not just about an impressive resume. He said there is a lot of the "old boy network" attitude in obtaining competitive ophtho residency spots as well as the fellowships after it.

I'd really like to think that effort is rewarded above anything else, so it's sad to hear something like this.

 

[Sol Rosenberg]

I'd really like to think that effort is rewarded above anything else, so it's sad to hear something like this.

Sorry to say that this is pretty much a universal truth in life: Who you know is at least as important as what you know.

 

[baylormed]

Sorry to say that this is pretty much a universal truth in life: Who you know is at least as important as what you know.

Yup.

 

[Long Dong]

Sorry to say that this is pretty much a universal truth in life: Who you know is at least as important as what you know.

Double yup.

So start rubbing elbows from day one, some programs rather take someone they have known for years with a 235 step 1, then someone they don't know with 260+.

 

[Yehosh]

The "who you know" factor is due to the fact that the people making the decision have to work with you for the next 5-6 years. If they've known you for a while, trust and respect your abilities as a colleague, they it'll often swing things in your direction, even if you don't have the highest step 1 score.

 

[Long Dong]

The "who you know" factor is due to the fact that the people making the decision have to work with you for the next 5-6 years. If they've known you for a while, trust and respect your abilities as a colleague, they it'll often swing things in your direction, even if you don't have the highest step 1 score.

Word

 

[MSKalltheway]

I agree with the other posters. From what I have seen at least, getting into a residency based on who you know isnt nearly as bad as you think...in some sense its probably better it works that way. In applying to college or med school, you dont work with the adcom, you work with a ton of professors who, on the whole, dont really have much to do with admissions. You may meet a few on it along the way but mostly not. During your residency, you likely WILL be working directly under the people who interview you and decide to let you into the residency program, so they have the right to deny you even if your numbers are much better than others. Remember, you are now in med school...your patients dont care about what you got on step 1, they care about how much they'd hope you know, and your bedside manner. So yeah, if I were a PD I would also select the best fits for the program that I was running, not the best numbers. The most qualified on paper dont always get you the best results.

 

[megadon]

Residency is the transition from academia to real-world. I did seven years active duty and then was a defense contractor for a year. In the real world, jobs are heavily weighted towards who you know. It's just the way it is. When word got out that I was getting out of the Navy, I was approached by someone I had worked with in the contractor job, who just quietly told me, you need to send your resume to Ron. That was it, done deal, no job search, hired immediately. Residency is for a large part of matter of leaving the acedemic world for the business world of medicine. That is why everyone says, if you want to do your residency at x place, do a rotation there. That way they know who you are, and have a feeling beyond your paper self who they will be working with. It may sound non-egalatarian and such, but that's the real world.

 

[Law2Doc]

Residency is the transition from academia to real-world. I did seven years active duty and then was a defense contractor for a year. In the real world, jobs are heavily weighted towards who you know. It's just the way it is. When word got out that I was getting out of the Navy, I was approached by someone I had worked with in the contractor job, who just quietly told me, you need to send your resume to Ron. That was it, done deal, no job search, hired immediately. Residency is for a large part of matter of leaving the acedemic world for the business world of medicine. That is why everyone says, if you want to do your residency at x place, do a rotation there. That way they know who you are, and have a feeling beyond your paper self who they will be working with. It may sound non-egalatarian and such, but that's the real world.

While away rotations are certainly helpful for this, and maybe the best most people can do, knowing the right people anywhere can often be even more helpful. The world is now a very small place and people everywhere know the hot shots and big players. The right person picking up the phone for you may help as much as having met the residency director yourself. (Sometimes that's even better because you can't ruin it with your own bad first impressions ) Much like your above situation, it was better (or at least equivalent) to know someone who knows Ron than to know Ron yourself. That is how the real world most often works -- through connections and steps.

 

[MossPoh]

Residency is the transition from academia to real-world. I did seven years active duty and then was a defense contractor for a year. In the real world, jobs are heavily weighted towards who you know. It's just the way it is. When word got out that I was getting out of the Navy, I was approached by someone I had worked with in the contractor job, who just quietly told me, you need to send your resume to Ron. That was it, done deal, no job search, hired immediately. Residency is for a large part of matter of leaving the acedemic world for the business world of medicine. That is why everyone says, if you want to do your residency at x place, do a rotation there. That way they know who you are, and have a feeling beyond your paper self who they will be working with. It may sound non-egalatarian and such, but that's the real world.

That was how I was essentially offered one of my gigs. Had a good word put in for me was pretty much offered the spot (after I complete a 5 month audition type internship which was more of a formality). If I did that I'd almost be making 6 figs before most people would be finishing med school. Stupid me I decided to go do what I like.

 

[megadon]

I should also disclose that I did know Ron (one of the VP's of Progeny) personally and had contracted his company to do some work for us through his office. After being hired, the project that I had funded was a side project of mine. I did none of the programming, but gave my input and presented it back to the guys I had worked with. Submarine world is another small world. I would also agree with Law2Doc, I can get my foot in my mouth pretty fast, so having someone else hook you up can be very very rewarding. But once again, it falls back to who you know.